Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 4, 2023

by | Jun 4, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 4, 2023

The latest on Jets stars Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois as well as updates on Ducks goalie John Gibson, Devils defenseman Damon Severson, Flyers blueliner Ivan Provorov and Canadiens winger Cole Caufield in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON HELLEBUYCK, SCHEIFELE AND DUBOIS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the Winnipeg Jets will be listening to offers for Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois. All three are a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.

Friedman claims the Jets aren’t throwing in the towel on being a contender. He said they’ve made it clear that this isn’t going to be a rebuild this summer. They could get some futures (draft picks, prospects) as part of the return if any of those players get traded. However, they also have several good players on long-term contracts that they want to support.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli has Hellebuyck sitting second on his updated list of offseason trade targets with Scheifele at fourth and Dubois seventh.

Seravalli suggested Los Angeles, New Jersey, Ottawa, Toronto, Carolina, Pittsburgh and Vegas all have openings for a goaltender “based on play or contractual status”. Of these, I suggest Los Angeles, New Jersey, Carolina and Pittsburgh as more viable destinations for Hellebuyck.

Hellebuyck lacks no-trade protection so the Jets can send him anywhere. However, I think Ottawa would want assurances that he would agree to a contract extension before trading away valuable assets to get him.

Toronto’s cap constraints make acquiring him difficult unless they shed one of their expensive “core four” forward to clear space for him. They could instead stick with the promising (and affordable) tandem of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll.

Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (NHL Images).

Vegas also lacks cap space plus they seem to be managing just fine with their goaltenders of Logan Thompson, Laurent Brossoit and current playoff hero (and possible Conn Smythe Trophy contender) Adin Hill. They’ve also got sidelined Robin Lehner’s $5 million cap hit on their books.

As for Dubois, the Winnipeg Sun’s Scott Billeck noted the ongoing rumors linking the 24-year-old center to his hometown Montreal Canadiens. However, he also suggested the Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins as possible destinations.

Billeck noted the Kings could need a new No.1 center if Anze Kopitar comes off their books next summer. However, I expect Kopitar will sign a contract extension to finish his career in Los Angeles.

The Rangers need a scoring right winger. Dubois doesn’t address that issue unless they shift second-line center Vincent Trocheck to the right wing.

Keep an eye on the Avalanche and Bruins. They both have limited cap space but I wouldn’t be shocked to see one of those clubs finding a way to land Dubois. I also wouldn’t rule out the Canadiens but that might depend on how much he’d want on a contract extension as well as the Jets’ asking price.

GIBSON COULD PART WAYS WITH THE DUCKS

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Lisa Dillman recently reported John Gibson is ready to move on from the Anaheim Ducks. It’s believed the 29-year-old goaltender met last month with Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek to express those sentiments.

Gibson has four seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.4 million plus a 10-team no-trade clause. He wants to play for a winning club but that won’t be possible over the next several years with the Ducks engaged in rebuilding their roster.

Dillman noted the Kings and Penguins could use help between the pipes but both clubs could find it difficult to accommodate his salary or meet Verbeek’s potential asking price.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli has Gibson sitting 10th on his trade targets list. He also wrote that the Ducks goalie was available last summer but the asking price was high.

Seravalli wondered if the Ducks would be willing to retain part of his cap hit to bring it down to around $5 million to make a move more palatable. Four years is a long time to retain $1.4 million annually but it might have to be done unless Verbeek can find a way to pull off a three-team deal.

PROVOROV TRADE IS NOT A CERTAINTY

THE ATHLETIC: Charlie O’Connor wonders if Ivan Provorov still has a place on the Philadelphia Flyers blueline. He’s regressed since his stellar 2019-20 performance.

Provorov remains a strong skater and good puck-mover who flashes high-end skill but his offensive game has not progressed nor does he drive the play at even strength. The Flyers have tried different defense partners with him to no avail.

O’Connor mused over whether Provorov remains a fit with a rebuilding Flyers team under a demanding head coach like John Tortorella. A trade seems likely if general manager Daniel Briere can find a rival GM who thinks Provorov could improve with a change of scenery. However, it’s hard to predict what he might fetch in a trade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Provorov sits 18th on Seravalli’s trade list. He anticipates the Flyers will receive calls about the 26-year-old defenseman. Like O’Connor, however, he’s not sure they’ll move him or what Provorov’s stature is among general managers around the league.

UPDATE ON CAUFIELD’S CONTRACT TALKS

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico cited Montreal broadcaster Tony Marinaro’s recent report on the status of Cole Caufield’s contract talks with the Canadiens. The 22-year-old winger is completing his entry-level contract.

According to Marinaro, he’s heard that the average annual value of Caufield’s next contract will not exceed that of linemate Nick Suzuki. The Canadiens captain’s AAV is $7.875 million.

Marinaro followed up by reporting the contract talks are progressing with all signs pointing to a seven- or eight-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some Canadiens fans and pundits are worried that a rival club might swoop in on July 1 and sign Caufield to an expensive offer sheet that the Habs might have difficulty matching.

TSN’s Darren Dreger recently dismissed that notion saying the word around the league is the Canadiens would match any offer. A Caufield offer sheet is quite unlikely this summer. Nineteen teams have less than $15 million in cap space for 2023-24. Several others lack sufficient draft picks to pay the high compensation rate for successfully signing him away. That’s assuming Caufield would sign one in the first place.

I didn’t dismiss the possibility of Caufield’s cap hit being slightly higher than Suzuki’s as the latter signed his contract two years ago. It will be a big win for the Canadiens to get him signed for less than Suzuki’s AAV on a long-term deal.

DEVILS COULD SHOP SEVERSON’S RIGHTS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the New Jersey Devils could be opening to trading the rights of pending UFA defenseman Damon Severson if they can’t sign him to an extension before July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They won’t get much of a return for Severson because of his UFA status but better than losing him to the free-agent market for nothing. That’s assuming he’ll sign with whatever club acquires him.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 3, 2023

by | Jun 3, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 3, 2023

Check out the latest on Auston Matthews, Tyler Bertuzzi and Alex Killorn plus updates on the Avalanche and Flames in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST “32 THOUGHTS” TRADE & FREE-AGENT RUMORS

SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman expressed his belief that Auston Matthews will extend with the Toronto Maple Leafs but not at the maximum term of eight seasons. Instead, he thinks the 25-year-old center inks a deal between three and six years in length.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Why wouldn’t Matthews want the maximum term on his next contract? The belief is he’d like to have a crack at free agency while he’s still in his playing prime thus ensuring that he continues to make big money well into his thirties.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

The challenge for Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is “trying to get it done before July 1, when his no-trade clause kicks in.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That line has created the assumption among some fans that the Leafs can officially sign Matthews to his extension before free agency begins at noon ET on July 1. To clarify, Matthews still has a year remaining on his current contract. They can discuss an extension with him in the weeks leading up to July 1, 2023, but that date remains the earliest they can sign him to an extension.

Matthews’ no-trade clause (it’s actually a no-movement clause) is an issue if he’s reluctant to sign beyond next season or seeks an extension of less than three years. If so, the Leafs might have to explore the trade market before his movement clause kicks in as that would significantly limit the number of potential trade partners.

Friedman believes Matthews’ next contract could likely be the highest AAV in the league. He wonders what that means for Mitch Marner and William Nylander.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner has two years remaining on his contract while Nylander’s expires at the same time as Matthews’. They’ll seek significant raises but they won’t be as expensive as what Matthews will get given his status as a former Hart Trophy and two-time Richard Trophy winner.

It also depends on how the Leafs manage their payrolls in 2024-25 and 2025-26 when the salary cap is expected to jump by as much as $4 million per season.

The Boston Bruins are exploring what it’ll take to re-sign Tyler Bertuzzi. The 28-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Acquired before the March trade deadline from the Detroit Red Wings, Bertuzzi fit in well with the Bruins and was their leading scorer in their short-lived 2023 postseason.

However, their limited cap space plus the possibility of Bertuzzi receiving a long-term deal on the open market worth around $5.25 million annually has some observers suggesting the Bruins simply can’t afford him.

Friedman believes the Tampa Bay Lightning offered Alex Killorn a long-term contract with a lower average annual value. However, the pending UFA winger is in demand and that could be difficult to do.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Killorn is 33 but he’s coming off a career-best performance (27 goals and 64 points in 82 games) this season. His current average salary is $4.45 million. He’ll have to decide if he wants to stick with the only NHL team he’s ever played with for less money in a city where there’s no state tax or chase bigger bucks elsewhere.

POTENTIAL SECOND-LINE CENTER OPTIONS FOR THE AVALANCHE

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh recently looked at several potential options for the Colorado Avalanche to address their second-line center position. Internal choices would be re-signing pending UFA J.T. Compher, signing RFA Alex Newhook and promoting him into that role or shifting Mikko Rantanen from winger to center.

External options include Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele, Philadelphia’s Kevin Hayes, Arizona’s Nick Schmaltz, Calgary’s Elias Lindholm or Anaheim’s Adam Henrique via the trade market. They could also try to bring back Ryan O’Reilly if he hits the UFA market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche will get $7 million in long-term injury reserve cap relief with Gabriel Landeskog out for next season recovering from knee surgery. However, one of those external options will be costly in terms of salaries as well as assets if they go the trade route. Their best option could be one of those internal ones suggested by Baugh.

COULD THE FLAMES TRADE A GOALTENDER?

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli noted the Flames have a potential logjam in goal with Jacob Markstrom and Dan Vladar under contract for next season and rising young netminder Dustin Wolf primed to become a full-time NHL player.

McKenna believes Wolf has accomplished all he can at the AHL level as their two-time reigning goalie of the year and AHL MVP. He believes they should shop Vladar and promote Wolf into sharing the duties with Markstrom starting next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I share McKenna’s opinion as well as his enthusiasm for a Markstrom-Wolf tandem. Having a promising youngster pushing him for the starter’s job could help Markstrom regain the form that made him a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2021-22. If Markstrom continues to struggle, it provides Wolf with the opportunity to seize that role for himself.

Vladar, 25, could prove to be a decent trade chip for the Flames given the lack of quality goaltending depth in this summer’s free-agent market.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2023

by | Jun 2, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – June 2, 2023

The latest on Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele plus updates on Senators winger Alex DeBrincat and Canadiens winger Cole Caufield in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON HELLEBUYCK AND SCHEIFELE

WINNIPEG SUN: Scott Billeck looked at the prospect of the Jets trading goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele if unable to sign them to contract extensions this summer. Both are slated to become unrestricted free agents next July.

Hellebuyck projects to be the Jets’ best trade chip as he could fetch a significant return if they rebuild or intend to retool on the fly. Possible trade destinations could include the Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

From the Kings, the Jets could look at Sean Durzi and Gabe Vilardi along with prospects like defenseman Brandt Clarke and Francesco Pinelli. Peyton Krebs, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and prospect Matthew Savoie or a first-round pick could be the Jets’ asking price from the Sabres.

The Jets could want Shane Pinto as part of the return from the Senators. Jesper Bratt of the Devils is a great player but the winger wouldn’t help the Jets down the middle. As for the Wings, maybe an offer of prospect center Marco Kasper, goalie Ville Husso and the ninth-overall pick in this year’s draft might entice the Jets to listen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Goaltenders don’t usually have great value in the trade market but Hellebuyck could be an exception to that rule. The 29-year-old goaltender is in his playing prime. He won the 2019 Vezina Trophy and is a finalist for the award this season.

Turning to Scheifele, he could be the hardest player for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to part with. Drafted in 2011 by Cheveldayoff, Scheifele’s become the face of the franchise. However, it may be necessary if the Jets seek a fresh start.

The Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames are Billeck’s suggested trade partners. He suggested pursuing defenseman Brandon Carlo and winger Jake DeBrusk from the Bruins, Seth Jarvis or Martin Necas and Brett Pesce from the Hurricanes, prospect center Marco Kasper or the 2023 ninth-overall pick from the Red Wings or perhaps a straight-up swap of Elias Lindholm with the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele’s coming off a career-best 42-goal performance this season. However, his production has been inconsistent since reaching a career-high 84 points in 2018-19 and that could adversely affect his value in the trade market. He will attract interest in the trade market but the offers might not be as lucrative as hoped.

SENATORS OPEN TO ALL OPTIONS WITH DEBRINCAT

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said his club is prepared to discuss an eight-year contract extension with winger Alex DeBrincat. However, the 25-year-old restricted free agent hasn’t made a decision on his future.

It will cost the Senators $9 million to qualify DeBrincat’s rights for 2023-24. Dorion indicated he’s had preliminary talks with the winger’s agent. The club could take him to arbitration to try and take as much as 15 percent off his salary. He also said that the Senators might have to consider trading DeBrincat if he’s not interested in signing with them.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators acquired DeBrincat during the first round of last year’s draft. They could peddle him during this year’s draft in Nashville on June 28-29 if not sooner if there’s no contract agreement in sight by then. Expect to see his name appear more frequently in the rumor mill in the coming weeks.

COULD CAUFIELD RECEIVE AN OFFER SHEET THIS SUMMER?

RDS.CA: Darren Dreger doesn’t believe the Montreal Canadiens face any real threat of Cole Caufield receiving an offer sheet if he’s still unsigned on July 1. The 22-year-old left winger is coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.

Dreger believes the Canadiens are in a good position on this issue. He thinks they’ll match any offer if another team is crazy enough to go that route. He also said that he hasn’t heard anything about another club being a threat to do so.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Assuming Caufield is willing to sign an offer sheet, a large number of clubs can’t afford to send him one. Cap Friendly indicates 14 teams have less than $10 million in cap space. Another five have less than $15 million. Of the clubs that have more cap room, most face significant investments in their own talent.

There’s also the matter of compensation. It could take an offer sheet worth $10 million annually to have a reasonable chance of deterring the Canadiens from matching. The compensation in that case is two first-rounders, a second and a third. Most teams can afford to pay that price. If anyone’s crazy enough to offer $10.8 million, the compensation is four first-rounders.

Cynics will point to the Carolina Hurricanes signing away Jesperi Kotkaniemi in 2021 but that was a different situation. The Canadiens had less cap flexibility at that time and the price of signing Kotkaniemi in terms of contract and compensation wasn’t as expensive as it will be for Caufield.

An offer sheet is also possible but they remain rare occurrences. If it happens, I think the targets would be more affordable, lesser-talented players than Caufield.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 28, 2023

by | May 28, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 28, 2023

The latest on the Hurricanes, the Flyers are willing to entertain offers for Carter Hart, and the possibility of the Blackhawks and Canucks swapping first-round picks in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON THE HURRICANES

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock believes the Carolina Hurricanes are running out of chances with their current group to win the Stanley Cup. After another disappointing postseason, they could have one final shot at it before difficult roster decisions must be made.

Core players such as Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas, Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei and Teuvo Teravainen will need new contracts next summer, and Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin the year after that. Meanwhile, some changes could come this summer with Jesper Fast, Jordan Staal and goalies Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas (NHL Images)

DeCock speculated Hurricanes management could decide to peddle Teravainen this summer if they’re unlikely to re-sign him. They could also perhaps sell high on Necas or Jack Drury, who both struggled in the postseason. There are also lingering questions regarding their overall roster toughness.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes have plenty of salary-cap space ($24.1 million) to retain players like Staal and Andersen on affordable short-term contracts. Meanwhile, they could go shopping for a scoring forward with size and grit via the trade or free-agent markets.

SPORTSNET: Ken Wiebe wonders if the Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets would become trade partners if the latter attempts to shake up their “core four” of goalie Connor Hellebuyck and forwards Mark Scheifele, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler.

Pyotr Kochetckov is the only Hurricanes goalie under contract for next season. Hellebuyck has one season left on his contract with a manageable $6.167 million cap hit. He’d unlikely be a long-term fit but that might not be a deterrent for a team in “win-now” mode.

Scheifele, meanwhile, doesn’t necessarily fit into the Hurricanes’ defensive-zone commitment. Nevertheless, perhaps Rod Brind’Amour could be the type of coach that inspires Scheifele to play a 200-foot game. The 29-year-old center will also be motivated as he’s also a year away from UFA status and will want to ensure his value remains high.

Wiebe listed Necas, Teravainen and Pesce as possible Hurricanes trade chips as well as top prospect Scott Morrow and their 2023 or 2024 first-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Weibe isn’t saying that the Hurricanes and Jets are talking trade. He’s merely looking at which members of the Jets core might be available and of potential interest to the Canes. We’ll learn in the coming weeks whether these two clubs intend to have trade discussions.

We can’t rule out the possibility of the Hurricanes rolling the dice on stars with a year left on their contracts in their quest to win the Stanley Cup next season. Whether Carolina GM Don Waddell is prepared to go that route remains to be seen.

FLYERS COULD ENTERTAIN TRADE OFFERS FOR HART

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Chuck Bausman cited Flyers general manager Daniel Briere telling Philadelphia sports radio 94.1 WIP that he’s open to trading goaltender Carter Hart.

“Most likely, Carter will be our goalie for the future, but I’m not in a position to turn down anything,” said Briere. “I have to listen.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hart was considered among the rebuilding Flyers’ few untouchables so that’s a significant statement by Briere. However, he didn’t say that he is trading Hart but only indicated that he’s willing to entertain offers.

Those offers, however, will have to meet what will likely be Briere’s high asking price. He’s not going to just give him away. I daresay he’ll want at least a first-round pick and a top prospect in the deal.

Someone could step up and overpay to get Hart. However, I think he’ll be returning to the Flyers crease this fall.

COULD THE BLACKHAWKS AND CANUCKS COMBINE ON A DRAFT PICK TRADE?

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston recently took note of The Athletic’s Scott Powers indicating the Chicago Blackhawks would love to move up into the top-15 in this year’s draft order. In addition to the first-overall pick, they also hold the 19th overall pick.

Powers indicated the Blackhawks are willing to package second-round picks with the 19th overall pick. He suggested the Canucks as a trade partner as they hold the 11th overall selection.

Johnston cited one source suggesting the Blackhawks could land the Canucks pick based on the scenario laid out by Powers. Another source told Johnston that they might be willing to entertain that scenario if they can move a contract in the deal.

The Canucks would like to move Tyler Myers, who has a year left with a $6 million cap hit on his contract. Johnston, however, suggested winger Conor Garland ($4.95 million cap hit through 2025-26) might be more enticing to the Blackhawks because he’s six years younger than Myers and still in his prime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: To summarize: the Hawks move up to 11th overall plus they add a good roster player in Garland who has several years remaining on his contract. The Canucks drop down to 19th overall but add one or two second-rounders and clear nearly $5 million in cap space from their books.

That’s a very interesting trade scenario for those two clubs. It’ll be interesting to see if it comes to pass during the first round on June 28.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 15, 2023

by | May 15, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 15, 2023

What next for the Oilers after their postseason elimination? Which clubs might become trade destinations for Connor Hellebuyck? Who could the Avalanche target for their second-line center position? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE OILERS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark looked at the Edmonton Oilers’ offseason priorities now that they’re eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

They have less than $3 million in salary-cap space with defenseman Evan Bouchard due for a new contract. He became a top-pairing option skating alongside trade-deadline acquisition Mattias Ekholm and quarterbacked the league’s top power play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Edmonton media is still doing their playoff postmortems so there hasn’t been much from them yet regarding the Oilers’ potential offseason plans. I daresay we’ll be hearing more about that in the coming days.

Bouchard came to life when paired with Ekholm. He’s coming off his entry-level contract so Oilers general manager Ken Holland could use his leverage to force the young defenseman into accepting an affordable short-term bridge deal with the promise of a bigger pay raise down the road. That’ll depend, of course, on how much salary Holland can free up this summer.

Forwards Klim Kostin and Ryan McLeod are also slated to become restricted free agents this summer. Meanwhile, trade deadline pickups Nick Bjugstad, Mattias Janmark and Derek Ryan are slated to become unrestricted free agents.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kostin and McLeod should be affordable re-signings. However, they also have arbitration rights which could complicate things. Bjugstad, Janmark and Ryan shouldn’t be expensive to retain but there isn’t sufficient cap space to keep them all unless they accept pay cuts. Maybe one of them gets re-signed while the others hit the open market.

The Oilers’ cap space has occasionally surfaced in the rumor mill as pundits speculated over which players could become cost-cutting candidates. Kailer Yamamoto ($3.1 million through next season), Warren Foegele ($2.75 million), Cody Ceci ($3.25 million through 2024-25) and Brett Kulak ($2.75 million through 2025-26) have come up as trade options. We could find out in the next several weeks whether any of them hit the trade block.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (NHL Images).

SUGGESTED TRADE DESTINATIONS FOR HELLEBUYCK

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks speculated that Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will likely be available this summer. The soon-to-be 30-year-old netminder is a year away from UFA status and unlikely to sign an extension after seven seasons with the Jets.

There could be a bidding war for Hellebuyck. He thinks the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings could be interested.

Brooks believes the New Jersey Devils’ priority should be acquiring a franchise goalie such as Hellebuyck. He proposed offering up winger Jesper Bratt in a package that also draws on depth within their system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils can absorb Hellebuyck’s $6.1 million salary for next season and still have plenty of cap space to re-sign Timo Meier to a hefty raise, especially if they follow Brooks’ advice and peddle Bratt.

Hellebuyck lacks no-trade protection so there’s no problem for the Jets to send him to New Jersey if they get a tempting offer from the Devils. However, the question then becomes whether he wants to stick around beyond next season or test the market where he’s sure to get a lucrative long-term deal worth far more than his current contract.

Bratt as the centerpiece of a package offer could interest the Jets. However, he’s also a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off back-to-back 73-point performances with the Devils. The 24-year-old winger is also a year away from UFA eligibility and will seek a big raise over the $5.45 million he earned this summer. That could prove too much of a headache for the Jets to take on.

SOME PROPOSED SECOND-LINE CENTER TARGETS FOR THE AVALANCHE

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: In a recent mailbag segment, Evan Rawal was asked if he sees any potential trade targets that might work to solve the Avalanche’s second-line center issue.

Rawal mentioned Philadelphia’s Kevin Hayes, Calgary’s Elias Lindholm, Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov, Arizona’s Nick Schmaltz, Winnipeg’s Pierre-Luc Dubois and Mark Scheifele, Anaheim’s Adam Henrique and Columbus’ Jack Roslovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rawal looked at the pros and cons of each center. I’ll just throw in my two cents here.

Hayes and Kuznetsov carry average annual values exceeding $7 million. Unless their clubs are willing to retain some salary, they won’t fit for the cap-strapped Avalanche. Scheifele at $6.125 million for next season is also a tight squeeze.

Schmaltz ($5.85 million) is younger and more affordable but his injury history is a red flag. Dubois, meanwhile is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. He’ll probably become too expensive for the Avs in both return and salary.

Henrique ($5.85 million) is 33 and his best seasons are behind him. Roslovic, 26, carries an affordable $4 million but his production is inconsistent and there are concerns over his defensive game.

Lindholm ($4.8 million) could be the best fit cap-wise if he’s available. However, that could change depending on who the Flames hire as their new general manager and head coach.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 7, 2023

by | May 7, 2023

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 7, 2023

A look at rumored candidates for the Rangers’ head-coaching job plus the latest Penguins speculation in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHO REPLACES GERARD GALLANT AS RANGERS HEAD COACH?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wondered who would replace Gerard Gallant after he and the Rangers mutually agreed to part ways on Saturday.

Brooks reports Joel Quenneville will not be among the candidates. He remains under an unofficial and open-ended suspension by the NHL for his failure to act responsibly in the Kyle Beach sexual assault issue while coaching the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. The Rangers will not approach the league to ask commissioner Gary Bettman to lift his suspension.

New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury (NHL.com).

General manager Chris Drury and his staff have begun compiling a list of candidates but there is so far no clear front-runner. It’s uncertain whether candidates such as Patrick Roy who didn’t get an interview two years ago will be in the mix now.

Prior to Gallant and the Rangers parting company, a source suggested former Calgary Flames bench boss Darryl Sutter to Brooks. However, he doubts that a coach who alienated part of his roster this season while failing to reach the playoffs would be a candidate for the Blueshirts’ coaching gig.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This being one of the notable head coaching jobs in the NHL, we’re likely to hear plenty of rumors in the coming weeks over who will be Gallant’s replacement. I agree with Brooks that Sutter probably won’t be a candidate after the season he had with the Flames.

It’ll be interesting to see who the Rangers bring in. Will they go with an experienced NHL coach or look toward someone from the minors, junior or college ranks? We’ll likely know before the NHL Draft (June 28-29) as I daresay they’ll want that position filled before then.

LATEST PENGUINS SPECULATION

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Nick Horwat recently suggested the Pittsburgh Penguins look toward the Winnipeg Jets as possible offseason trade partners.

The Jets could be looking at shaking things up this summer following their disappointing performance down the stretch and their first-round elimination by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Connor Hellebuyck could be of interest to the Penguins, who need an upgrade in goal. The former Vezina Trophy winner is 30 and has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $6.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Horwat believes Hellebuyck would be worth every penny for the Penguins. Cap Friendly shows them with over $20 million in cap space for 2023-24 so they can afford to acquire him.

Hellebuyck also lacks no-trade protection. If the Jets decide to shop him, their asking price could include the Penguins’ 2023 first-round pick.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski was asked by several readers if Hellebuyck or Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson could be in play in the offseason trade market.

Kingerski doubts the Ducks will peddle Gibson if they get a top-two pick in this year’s draft. If they do make him available, he doubts the Penguins can afford to acquire him, suggesting the Ducks could seek two first-round picks and more in return.

Hellebuyck, on the other hand, could be a different story. He believes the Jets might be amenable to a player-for-player trade, though the Penguins convincing one of their players with a no-trade or no-move clause to accept a move to Winnipeg could be a problem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kingerski also noted the Ottawa Senators are reportedly interested in Gibson but can outbid the Penguins. However, the Senators might not be on his list of acceptable trade destinations.

Recent rumors suggest the Ducks are willing to help Gibson find a suitable trade destination, preferably one that isn’t rebuilding. The Pittsburgh native could accept coming home to play with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

The Penguins will likely have to give up their first-rounder in the deal but the rest of the asking price might not be that expensive. The Ducks already have six picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft and in next year’s as well. They could be more interested in moving Gibson’s contract, which has four years remaining with an annual cap hit of $6.4 million.

Horwat also suggested center Mark Scheifele and defenseman Neal Pionk as trade targets. He admits the 29-year-old Scheifele might be hard to fit in on a club already deep with centers but felt he’s the kind of talent you find a solution for. Horwat considers Pionk more obtainable, suggesting he’d be a good replacement for Jeff Petry.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele is talented and could skate on the wing alongside Sidney Crosby or perhaps he could center the second line with Evgeni Malkin shifted to the wing. Like Hellebuyck, he has a year remaining on his contract. Scheifele has also faced criticism in recent years for his inconsistent play.

Pionk would be a good replacement for the aging Petry provided the Penguins can find a taker for him to clear his $6.25 million annual cap hit from their books. That’s assuming the Jets are willing to move Pionk.

Horwat also looked at possible buyout candidates. The first choice would be Jeff Carter but he’s on a 35-plus contract, meaning his annual cap hit would still count in full against the Penguins’ salary cap.

Jeff Petry and forward Mikael Granlund are other possibilities. However, there’s also the concern that those buyouts could become anchors if the rest of the roster is built incorrectly.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins appear stuck with Carter for the final season of his contract. They can’t buy him out and he’s got a full no-movement clause.

I suspect the Penguins would prefer trading Petry and/or Granlund even if they have to retain a portion of their salary rather than buy them out. Whether they go either route remains to be seen. New management could see how both perform next season.